


Tea and Tradeoffs

by VolunteerFieryDantooinian



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 07:56:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15990947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolunteerFieryDantooinian/pseuds/VolunteerFieryDantooinian
Summary: Caduceus is sick in bed with a fever, and the rest of the Mighty Nein is out adventuring. The Pumats make it their personal mission to nurse him back to health.





	Tea and Tradeoffs

Caduceus barely awoke when Fjord gently shook him, rough sailor’s hands warm against his skin. He’d been sick for the past few days, probably having been exposed to something when they travelled back from the Menagerie Coast to Zedash. 

“Deuces, we’re headed out,” He murmured, and Clay made a soft noise of affirmation, barely managing to open his eyes to see the green blur above him. Fjord frowned softly and pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. “You’re still feverish, I think it’d be best if you held down the fort, eh?” He said, and Caduceus managed to nod. Fjord nodded back. “We’ll be back soon, hang in there,” He reassured, and like that, he was gone. 

Caduceus rolled back over in bed once he was alone, shivering in the relative chill of the room. He curled the blankets closer around himself and managed to fall back into uneasy sleep. 

Not long after, he was awakened by the sound of a knock on his door. He figured maybe one of the members was back early, and he was honestly too weak to talk at the moment, so he rapped on the nightstand twice, echoing the person outside. The door creaked open, and Pumat Sol stepped in. Well, one of the Pumat Sols. This one, Clay managed to figure, was Pumat three, based on the way he carried himself, the gentle expression on his face. Caduceus sat up in bed and instantly regretted it. 

“Easy, there,” Pumat said, kneeling beside his bed and gently adjusting him so he was propped up by the pillows. “Fjord, the green fella, he informed me you weren’t feeling too well, and I figured I’d come check in,” He explained, and Caduceus nodded. “I brought you some of that tea you liked,” Pumat 3 said, putting a warm mug of tea into Caduceus’ hands and helping him hold it. 

“Thank you,” Caduceus managed, wincing at the burn in his throat, and he took a sip of tea, sighing. “You’re too kind, really..” Pumat smiled at him.

”It’s my pleasure, Mr. Clay,” He said warmly, and pushed his sweat-damp hair out of his eyes with a gentle hand. He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and frowned. Caduceus leaned into his touch. “You’re awful warm,” He fretted. “Have you eaten much since you’ve been unwell? Respectfully, you’re lookin’ a little more gaunt than usual..” His voice had a soft element of concern, and Clay shook his head. He’d been too dizzy and weak to consider eating; Fjord had tried his hardest, but he didn’t push him. The queasy, unsure feeling was still sitting like a rock in his stomach. 

 Pumat sighed, gently stroking the side of his face. “That won’t do, now will it?” He frowned and kissed his forehead gently. “You need to get some strength back. If I get 4 to come over with somethin’, do you think you’d be alright? I’ll have to be back on shift soon,” He murmured, and Caduceus nodded. “Alright, sweet pea. Hope you feel better soon,” He kissed him gently on each cheek and then left the room, leaving Caduceus to rest for a bit.

It didn’t take long for him to drift off, and when he woke next, the 4th Pumat was holding his head in his lap, petting his hair and working out the tangles. 

“Glad to see you’re awake, pumpkin,” He murmured, and Caduceus nodded sleepily. Pumat helped him to sit up, and Caduceus’ head spun as he did so. Pumat gently cradled him in his arms until he could see straight again, and then handed him a bowl of warm, rich stew. It looked absolutely delicious; all of the Pumats were wonderful at cooking.

His hands were still shaking, and the fourth Pumat made a gentle sound when he noticed this. He helped him eat, essentially feeding him and gently petting his hair. “You’re doin’ great, Mr. Clay, just let me know when you want to stop,” He murmured, and Caduceus nodded. He had to stop after maybe half of the bowl, even with Pumat’s encouragement, and sleepily cuddled against him, seeking his warmth.

Pumat laughed quietly, a warm, low sound. “Sleepy now, hm?” He teased, and Clay nodded weakly. Pumat 4 gently rubbed his back, coaxing out a small, satisfied sigh. Caduceus fell asleep within minutes, cradled in the warmth of the gentlest Pumat’s arms.  

The next time he awoke, he was still sleepy and content, and the second Pumat, the worrier, was dabbing at his forehead with a cold cloth. Caduceus stirred and shivered slightly, causing him to set the cloth down. 

“Hey there, how’re you feeling?” His voice was low and gentle, and Caduceus didn’t respond, too weak and too tired. The nausea was rolling deep in his stomach, and he simply crawled into the second Pumat’s lap, letting him gently rub his back. “Not good, then..” He murmured, taking one warm hand and rubbing his back in gentle circles. “Do you want somethin’ to drink? I can get you whatever you need,” He said, and Clay sighed. 

“Just want to feel better, Pum..” His voice was small and rough with sleep. He sighed softly, continuing to run a gentle hand over his tense back. 

“I know, I know..” He soothed. “Prime is gettin’ off soon, he should be able to do something for ya,” Pumat 2 comforted. “Maybe get you more of that tea you like, give you something to help you sleep..” He said, and Clay nodded. He honestly wanted to cry. It had been some time since he’d done that, but for some reason he felt as if he needed to.

Soon enough, heavy, sudden tears were tracking down his face, and he was crying into Pumat’s robe. “Alright, pumpkin, I gotcha...” He soothed. “Just get it out, it’s okay. It’s okay..” His voice was gentle, and soon Caduceus found he wasn’t crying anymore, relaxing back into his lap. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, and Pumat nodded. 

“That’s okay,” He assured him, and Caduceus began to drift off once more, exhausted from the crying alone. 

The next time Caduceus awoke, he was back in the Blooming Grove. Even his fever-wracked brain was able to assess that this was a dream. He saw little, given that it was night, and his beetles curled around his arm, buzzing as they slept. It was all very peaceful, until the vines came. The black, sick-looking vines, dripping grey ichor onto the ground. One managed to tie its way around Caduceus’ throat, cutting off his air. He was choking and shivering, and though the beetles tried, they couldn’t seem to get through. As he was losing consciousness, he heard a voice-

and then he was awake, lying on the floor and shivering violently. The room was dead silent, and his stomach rolled, a queasy feeling climbing in his throat and leaving a sickly taste in his mouth. Somebody was speaking, but he couldn’t decipher what they were saying, and suddenly, he was being lifted off of the floor. The warmth of someone’s body against him, and then he was on the bed again, shivering. He couldn’t speak in fear he’d vomit, but he knew it was Prime that was here now. 

“That’s it. You can open your eyes, you’re safe now..” His voice filtered in slowly, and Caduceus managed to open his eyes, sighing in relief as he set his sights on Prime. He tried to reach for him, but he found he was too weak to sit up. “Just stay put, sweet pea, that’s the best thing for you to do right now,” He said firmly, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “You gave me an awful fright, Mr. Clay,” He stroked his hair, and Caduceus sighed softly in guilt.

”Didn’t mean to,” He mumbled, and swallowed hard. The sickly taste was back in his mouth, one he recognized as decay. Pumat frowned in concern.

“I know you didn’t mean to, Cads, it’s not your fault. You’re not feeling too well, I know. Now that I mention it, you’re lookin’ a little green at the moment. I’m gonna go on ahead and mix something up so you can rest a bit easier, alrighty? Wouldn’t want you getting too worked up again,” He murmured.

Caduceus nodded, and laid back as Prime busied himself with making him some tea, the spicy smell of it absolutely intoxicating. “There you are,” He handed him a mug full of steaming hot liquid. “Put some honey in to cut the bitterness, of course. This should do somethin’ for your nerves, sugarplum, help you relax,” Pumat helped him to sip the hot liquid, and Caduceus sighed. It felt nice on his still-achy throat, and there was something bracing enough about it to help him relax.

Pumat petted his hair gently as he sipped. “That’s it,” He murmured, and Caduceus continued to drink, slowly but surely draining the mug. When he was finished, he felt a bit warmer, a bit less weak. “Your fever’s gone back up, pumpkin. If you’re going to get better, you need to get some rest.”

Though he hated to admit it, he was absolutely exhausted.

“Can you stay?” Caduceus managed, voice small and weak. Prime nodded, kissing him once on each temple. When he moved over so there was an empty space on the bed, Pumat knew exactly what he wanted.

He laid down next to him, wrapping gentle arms around Caduceus’ thin, shaking frame. “I’ve gotcha, sweetpea..” He soothed, and Caduceus relaxed back into his arms, lying on top of Pumat and cuddling against the warmth of his chest. “I’m right here.” All of Pumat Sol was warm, and he found it easier to sleep now that Prime was here. 

Out of all the Pumats, he’d always been his favorite. 

 


End file.
